Although he has not pitched in more than a week, Padres closer Joaquin Benoit looks as if he will avoid the disabled list. The right-hander, who has been dealing with soreness in his throwing shoulder, could return to game action as soon as Friday, when the Padres open a series at Arizona.

If not then, Bud Black said Thursday afternoon, “he’ll be ready to pitch Saturday, for sure.”

The Padres manager was speaking not long after Benoit threw long toss at Dodger Stadium before immediately going into a five-minute session in the bullpen.

“I think everything went well today,” Benoit said after throwing off the mound for the first time since last Wednesday. “I felt good. I was worried about feeling any soreness today, but when I woke up everything was fine. We’re on the right track.”

Benoit recorded his seventh save Aug. 13 at home against the Rockies. He had since been down with what Black called a “cranky” shoulder.

“I think it was probably a little bit workload and my arm getting a little tired,” said Benoit, who also played catch Wednesday, “but a few days of rest and a little medicine I think did the trick.”

Benoit, who turned 37 in July, has not been on the DL since 2009, when the then-Rangers reliever missed the entire season while recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

In Benoit’s place, right-hander Kevin Quackenbush picked up his first career save Wednesday. The rookie will resume his eighth-inning duties when Benoit returns.

In 48 appearances this season, Benoit has a 1.64 ERA. Over 49 1/3 innings, he has allowed 28 hits and 14 walks while striking out 59.

Shortstop Everth Cabrera rejoined the Padres on Thursday at Dodger Stadium, where he resumed baseball activities. Cabrera, who has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a left hamstring strain, hit in the cage and took grounders during batting practice. He is expected to begin light running Monday at Petco Park.

Monday also happens to be the earliest Cabrera is eligible to be activated -- his DL stint is retroactive to Aug. 10 -- but his return is expected to come later, possibly after the end of the month.

This is the third time in a little more than a year that a left hamstring strain has put Cabrera on the DL. He missed 17 games last summer, then 21 games last month.

In 90 games, Cabrera is hitting .232 with three home runs, 20 RBIs and 18 steals.

Notable

Cameron Maybin, who returned from a 25-game suspension Wednesday, was back in the lineup Thursday. Maybin started in center field and batted seventh.

With right-hander Andrew Cashner expected to come off the DL for Saturday’s start, the Padres will wait until then to make a corresponding roster move.

The Padres have released minor-leaguers infielder Brooks Conrad and right-hander Hector Ambriz. Conrad, a graduate of Monte Vista High, recently underwent shoulder surgery. He hit .100 with one home run in 13 games with the Padres this season. Ambriz, who made one two-inning appearance with the Padres in May, was granted his release.